Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-08-11

Forty wears ago am told, flowers were
sold on the street only by children, who
also p.ddlcd in their season, oranges and
wafer crrs-rs: hut now they only form a
portion of the great army OF broken down
women and tOrlon girls, which II mustered
touethcr, would form grim and sadden-
ing spectacle Curiouslv enough, Il Scotch
iaSSIC has vet To he found Who would try
] this way ~ t-Nius "tt - hri~o Even tn.
dircst poverty wlil not force them INTO
what il looked upon aS a degrading street
industry. There are many Irish and they
are the best of the class
The dress worn by these girls is SO in
variahly the same that il might almost be
called a uniform. II consists of a draggled
skirt. To which pieces Of tattered triming
still adhere, Il torn waist, OF buttons few,
and only half hidden by faded shawl
On the head is slapped with an attempt at
ilmtincsS, II black straw hat, decidedly
battered and very much turned up ut one
side
From this straggles an old ostrich icath-
er, over hair that TO put it mildly is un-
kept This hair, by the way, Is screwed
up in knot and stabbed with Il single
hairpin, which does not prevent the cscap
Ing ends from bristling out detantly. Big
brass ear rings and brooch are the finishing
touches Ot toilet in which water has been
sparingly used and soap totally ignored.
Very rarely is pretty face to he seen
among them, and
WHEN NATURE HAS BEEN KIND
in the beginning want, weather and expo
sure has in the end defeated her intention
On the busiest thOrUugharcs the police
will not allow the flower girls on the pave
ment, and | have seen rs many - five |
standing in the road in row before the |
oxford Street postollicr. They have con !
stantly to he on The lookout for fear the |
vehicles rushing hv will run over them, |
but they make no effort 10 avoid the mud |
that Splashes from the wheels. When the |
sandwich men file by they regard each .
other with a contempt that Is mutual. |
People on the pavement max" an effort TO |
escape these girls, almost as much - the /
latter do the road traffic, and they are /
difficult enough 10 escape from. Like all |
Glasses ot street vendors, the flower girl he
comes wonderfully shrewd in taking the
measure Of pass"r by. a man .
or woman with a benevolent |
twist of countcHaucc simple
country girl u young woman, or a timid
old lady are easy prey. They will some
times pursue person for 4 couple of /
squares, appealing, demanding and whecd-
linz II Is Buy 4 flour nv lady, or
"Flye beauty roses for peeny,' or Ere
Won are lady, lust fresh, an I'm 4 poor
gjrl, " all the time sticking their flowers
directly IN your face. On one occasion,
" bile in pursuit Of knowledge, stopped
to buy from one Of 4 group of women, a
bunch Of daisies Ia mnut4 the lest
were after me. and chaos ,nsucd, one an
tique tlOwsr girl thrUs'iug a huuch Of roses
in my hand and another taking hold Of me
i'm anxiety tor fear should escape In
Heed, A. class, the London How
n girls remind me strongly OF
he cabmcn who lie in wait for tn" unwaIy
when the steamers land in New YORK.
The most deserving ot their kind are the
older Nomcn who have been brought mp
IN the business Many Of them yOu tind
N the city. where they group themselves
round a fountain or statue aud make up
nto button holes the flowers they have .
bought at COvent Garden in the dawn O!
he morning \ picture oi them by Nil /
Hurst. a. they are to he seen AT the loot oi
recTs statue in front Of the Royal EN ,
,hangr. is given here. aud the iollv-lookiug
rodv in the middle i q very old Hover
,irI of twenty years standing They
III have hits OF rush given them with
heir flowers. aud denly bind t0gethcl tw"
n three h!o-som- with fringe ui fem
caves or . tiny bit of maiden har. As
ast a they are made they are stuck ~ the
id Of an old fruit ba-ket and sold ~ hut.
on holes. '
There is little taste in the arrangement
# flowers in England, whether II be at the ;
most fashionable florists Of the West End, |
II the cheaper combination "i the flower {
irl of the East End. OF the tw" the lat
cr is apt To have the best OF IT, ior the TeI- I
on that she i chary Of her flowers, which
esplts in each blossom having plenty Of
,reathinp space. and she j. generous IN the ;
,se of ivv leaf and fern. Literally she has :
title chance to sin against the cInons OF ,
oOd taste
The idea Of the British florist i still the
ama 10 pack ~ many choice and eNpen- :
i've blossoms irtn the smallest possible ,
mace. to wire each Iuyering stem until it : :
. ready 10 stand on end, and to surround
he whole with an elaborately cut tissue :
amer An American who dlres TO ask for ,
ICOntinaed on Third Page. 4